Cover Reveal(s)!!!

The last couple of weeks have been busy, coinciding with schools returning and summer ending. Interspersed among several rejections I've received, there have been some high points. These included two Zoom sessions - one with SCBWI Ireland members (the first catch up since the beginning of the summer) and a very informative webinar about children's publishing hosted by Golden Egg Academy.

But even better, within a few days I saw the cover of not one, but two books soon to be launched which I have work included in. The first one is for 'Underneath the Tree' an anthology of Christmas stories which launches in November.

I think the cover is beautiful. The book is now available to pre-order on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Underneath-Tree-Christmas-stories-Northern-ebook/dp/B08HNB1KBY/ref=redir_mobile_desktop/257-1153980-2021622?ie=UTF8&qid=1600603952&ref_=tmm_kin_title_0&sr=8-1

The second cover is for 'Places of Poetry - Mapping the Nation in Verse' a poetry anthology containing 200 poems imbued with a strong sense of journey and discovery from across the UK. Again a beautiful and simple cover. This project has been shortlisted for 'Research Project of the Year: Humanities and Social Sciences ' at THE Awards and this gorgeous book will be launched on 1st October by the Poetry Society.

I'm looking forward to the launch for each book and holding these books in my hands.

National Read A Book Day

There seems to be a day to celebrate all sorts of events and occasions nowadays, some of which are quite obscure.  I discovered earlier today that it is National Read A Book Day which probably should really be celebrated every single day. Thankfully as it fell at the weekend there was a bit more time to read, so I marked the occasion by indulging in some quality 'me' time today, sitting down with a coffee and a chocanana muffin (left over from yesterday's virtual  writing group meeting - and still yummy)

 and enjoying  more of the book I'm currently reading 'Vanilla Beans and Brodo' by Isabella Dusi.  I haven't been able to travel to Italy this summer, so this book has been the perfect way of transporting me to the heart of Tuscany without the hassle of queues, masks and quarantine. So for a couple of hours I was there today - enjoying the sights and sounds of Lent preparations, picking jonquils and Tuscan football matches - bliss! Can't wait to read more...

Places of Poetry

Earlier this year I heard that my poem 'Riverdance' was going to be included in the 'Places of Poetry: Mapping the Nation in Verse' anthology. The poem, about the River Lagan won first prize in the Lagan Navigation Trust's first ever Storymaking Festival a couple of years ago http://www.lagannavigationtrust.org/1st-annual-story-making-festival-2018/

This new anthology which is launched on 1st October features poems about places throughout the United Kingdom, and I'm delighted that my poem will be one representing Northern Ireland. https://www.placesofpoetry.org.uk/About/

Last weekend I had fun recording a poetry reading on the banks of the Lagan as part of the promotional work for the forthcoming launch. Watch this space for more news!

Fighting Talk

A few months ago, I saw an opportunity to become involved in a Global Writing Lockdown project the organisation 'Fighting Words' was facilitating. A couple of my friends volunteer with Fighting Words. The organisation aims to help children and young people and adults who did not have opportunities as children to discover and harness the power of their own imagination and creative writing skills. It also aims to use creative writing and storytelling to strengthen children and teenagers from a wide range of backgrounds to be resilient, creative and successful shapers of their own lives. You can find out more about them here https://www.fightingwords.ie/about-us

I'm delighted that my piece of flash fiction 'There's No Such Thing as Can't' has been included in this. The 'Near and Far' anthology can be viewed here https://fightingwords.ie/nearandfar

In the Glen

 One aspect of lockdown has been re-discovering the gems on our doorsteps. 

While I'm very familiar with the area, a walk through nearby Valentine's Glen revealed there had been some changes since my last dander there, including the appearance of a plaque commemorating a murder that happened in the glen last century. Since 1952 locals have been fascinated with what really happened that night and the mystery surrounding the murder has inspired books and television dramas and has become a key aspect of local culture.

I'm delighted that my story 'In the Glen', inspired by the Curran murder, has been included in 'Stories from the Waterside'. This anthology was produced from a writing competition celebrating people's connections with Ireland's rivers, lakes and beaches. The publication has been launched this week to mark #WaterHeritageDay and can be viewed and downloaded here:

http://watersandcommunities.ie/stories-from-the-waterside/

What is a virtual writing retreat like?

At the beginning of each year our writing group makes plans for the year ahead. Along with writing goals, these plans include our schedule of workshops and our annual writing retreat. It has become a tradition for our writing group to assemble for a couple of days each August for our much anticipated writing retreat in Coney Island. 

But this year, like so many other planned events, we had to review and revise our ideas for the writing retreat, just as a good writer edits and re-edits their work.

We've managed to continue to hold a monthly 'virtual' writing workshop throughout lockdown and easing arrangements. We were loathe to cancel the retreat so considered having a 'virtual' get-together was the best option for our writing retreat. Over two days we gathered together over Zoom meetings to chat and share our writing and in between times we wrote, edited, revised and read.

There were some elements of our writing retreat which remained the same this year as in previous years.

The sun shone most of the weekend; coloured pens had been purchased; we ate good food; we received support from each other; the 'craic' was good; we wanted to write; there was no pressure to write; and we could guarantee a real belly laugh - probably the first I've experienced since lockdown commenced where I laughed so much I cried.

But it wasn't a writing retreat as we knew it. The views were different; the accommodation was different. We missed the anticipation when it would be decided which one of us would be lucky enough to secure Maddie's beach house for the weekend. The food was different. We missed Maddie's speciality dishes. We missed each other's company; we had distractions as life intervenes more when you're still fully immersed in it; and a level of anxiety hovered.

I still managed to fit in walks by the shore, albeit a different piece of shore and managed to write a couple of new pieces.

And just as many of us have managed to survive 2020 so far, we adapted to this new normal and made the best of it and wrote. 

More ups and downs

It's been another exciting writing week - with more ups and downs, and thankfully with more ladders than snakes.

On Sunday I heard that some of my poems had been published on Pendemic's website http://pendemic.ie/coronavirus-lockdown-well-meet-again-and-hippocrates-poetry-by-morna-sullivan/

On Monday I heard that another poem I'd written has been accepted to be included in a forthcoming anthology - more news to follow in due course.

On Wednesday I joined up with SCBWI Ireland members for a virtual catch up. When we can't meet up, it's good to keep in touch this way and to meet new writers and illustrators I wouldn't otherwise have met.

On Thursday I received a rejection from an agent. Later that day I heard one of my short stories has got through to the next stage in a writing competition  - fingers crossed for the next stage!

On Friday I heard a piece of flash fiction I'd written will be included in a forthcoming anthology  - again more news to follow in due course.

Then just as I thought it had been a good writing week, it got even better! On Saturday a fellow contributor to an anthology made our group aware that through her hard work in promoting the anthology, Jeremy Irons had written a few lines to support our work!

https://www.facebook.com/106058574454891/posts/143817187345696/

When we write we don't always think who might read our work. Words can be powerful!

Jeremy had this to say about our collection:
 “One of the positive realisations to come out of this plague, is how we all need each other. I hope these stories help us never to forget as we live our future lives.”

 Wow!! We are beyond delighted by his words, and are humbled he took the time to read the works within ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Many thanks to the wonderful Niamh Cooper for her part in all this. She truly is a gem!!

 Haven't got your copy yet? Head over to Amazon and buy either Kindle or eBook version of Lights on the Horizon Stay safe!! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lights-Horizon-Collection-Lockdown-Writings/dp/B088XQG786/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-p13n1_0?crid=19SVR1GPPQRV3&cv_ct_cx=lights+on+the+horizon&dchild=1&keywords=lights+on+the+horizon&pd_rd_i=B088XQG786&pd_rd_r=437d2e56-c789-42e0-9f27-0a07178cc5e9&pd_rd_w=gXpS7&pd_rd_wg=j5ceT&pf_rd_p=fd5dad59-261a-423d-9e6c-7be719d7fb65&pf_rd_r=7TBSQYXB3F2EWD6DFT7H&psc=1&qid=1594490294&sprefix=lights+on+the+h%2Caps%2C159&sr=1-1-91e9aa57-911e-4628-99b3-09163b7d9294

This week I reckon my writing won snakes and ladders.